I orginally posted this in the "Writing Poetry: Beginner's 'How To'" Thread, but it didn't receive much, if any, attention there, so, as i believe that it might be of some interest and/or value to some, I thought I'd repost it here.
"Technically". this is not a "Poem", but "Didactic Verse", which can, hopefully, lead to some discussion and outline the tools that newcomers can use in perfecting their own craftsmanship.
Enjoy.
*******
Writing Poetry?
Poems flow freely from my pen,
For words obey my call,
And if you buy that fantasy,
You don't know Poems at all.
Poetry's an Art, a Craft
A gift too great to spurn,
But, writing it's no simple thing
It's a Skill that must be learned.
'Tis not enough to simply spew
Those things you sense inside,
Based on feelings, or based on thoughts,
That others may deride,
For there are few who have the gift
Of seeing as others do.
And if they can't perceive your mind,
They're bound to miss your truths.
Your goal is to communicate.
Your message must be clear,.
And private thoughts and images
May often seem obscure.
You have to organize your thoughts;
Know what you want to do;
Select the images you need;
Make plans and follow through,
And the Principles the Masters used
Can guide you on your quest,
For if they're used with discipline,
They'll help you do your best.
First you'll need a solid theme
To help define your goal,
Embodied in a subject,
That gives your work its soul.
Thoughts and images come next,
That bring your theme to life,
And they must be compatible,
Or else they'll bring you strife.
Cohesiveness and clarity
Should be your favorite tools,
For they can truly show your skills
And bring your message through.
And when your "Poem" comes to it's end,
Whatever that might be,
The reader should perceive a whole,
United and complete.
But, a few things must be mentioned,
As pitfalls to avoid,
Like using images for their own sake,
Or, setting meaning aside.
Nor, should you use words just to demonstrate
Erudition or verbal skills.
No one cares how much you know,
And it's doubtful that they ever will.
And, the scope and depth of what you write
Must be considered first,
For they define the difference
T'wixt Poetry and Verse.
Nor does it matter what form you choose,
Be it Free Verse or Rhyme.
As long as meaning is conveyed,
It can last, transcending time.
And, always seek the "universal".....
For the "personal" bears little weight,
And the goal is e'er to speak to all
In terms that can relate.
There may be no end to struggling
In making words your own,
But, now, at least, you can understand,
What it takes to make a Poem
Copyright © 4 Nov 2007 James R. Hoye
******
Write On,
Jim Hoye, (JRH)
"Technically". this is not a "Poem", but "Didactic Verse", which can, hopefully, lead to some discussion and outline the tools that newcomers can use in perfecting their own craftsmanship.
Enjoy.
*******
Writing Poetry?
Poems flow freely from my pen,
For words obey my call,
And if you buy that fantasy,
You don't know Poems at all.
Poetry's an Art, a Craft
A gift too great to spurn,
But, writing it's no simple thing
It's a Skill that must be learned.
'Tis not enough to simply spew
Those things you sense inside,
Based on feelings, or based on thoughts,
That others may deride,
For there are few who have the gift
Of seeing as others do.
And if they can't perceive your mind,
They're bound to miss your truths.
Your goal is to communicate.
Your message must be clear,.
And private thoughts and images
May often seem obscure.
You have to organize your thoughts;
Know what you want to do;
Select the images you need;
Make plans and follow through,
And the Principles the Masters used
Can guide you on your quest,
For if they're used with discipline,
They'll help you do your best.
First you'll need a solid theme
To help define your goal,
Embodied in a subject,
That gives your work its soul.
Thoughts and images come next,
That bring your theme to life,
And they must be compatible,
Or else they'll bring you strife.
Cohesiveness and clarity
Should be your favorite tools,
For they can truly show your skills
And bring your message through.
And when your "Poem" comes to it's end,
Whatever that might be,
The reader should perceive a whole,
United and complete.
But, a few things must be mentioned,
As pitfalls to avoid,
Like using images for their own sake,
Or, setting meaning aside.
Nor, should you use words just to demonstrate
Erudition or verbal skills.
No one cares how much you know,
And it's doubtful that they ever will.
And, the scope and depth of what you write
Must be considered first,
For they define the difference
T'wixt Poetry and Verse.
Nor does it matter what form you choose,
Be it Free Verse or Rhyme.
As long as meaning is conveyed,
It can last, transcending time.
And, always seek the "universal".....
For the "personal" bears little weight,
And the goal is e'er to speak to all
In terms that can relate.
There may be no end to struggling
In making words your own,
But, now, at least, you can understand,
What it takes to make a Poem
Copyright © 4 Nov 2007 James R. Hoye
******
Write On,
Jim Hoye, (JRH)
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